Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-05

The living human body-the chief object OF your
solctude not only combines in itself the greatest
number or elementary substances and the most
numerous organs and varied functions, so attuned
10 harmonious action as to illustrate the opera
on nsi OF every I law Of physics every known force in
Ing matter, from the simple aggregation OF protO-
plasm constituting the germinal cell to the full
grown man, but 1t is placed In apprec1able and Inn
portant relations with the material objects and
he lives.
Hence a complete study of the living man, in
health and disease, involves thorough study, not
only OF his structure and functions but more or
earth, the air and the water with which he stands
In constant relation.
The medical science Of to-day, therefore, en-
braces not only a knowledge or the living man,
put also OF such facts, principles, and materials
gathered from every other department of human
knowledge as may increase your resources for pre-
venting or alternating his suffering and OF pro-
longing his life.
ADVANCE OF MEDICAL SCIENCE.
The time has been when medical studies en-
braced little else than the fanciful theories and
arbitrary dogmas OF few leading minds, each Of
which became for the time the founder of sect or
so-called school OF medicine, with his disciples
more or less numerous. But with the development
OF general and analytical chemistry, OF the several
departments OF natural science. OF more practi-
Cal knowledge OF physics, and the adoption OF in-
ductve processes or reasoning, the age OF theoret
some more plausible leader passed away, leaving
medical horizon.
So true is this, that in casting our mental vision,
to-day, over the broad domain OF medicine We see
lis VotareS engaged, some searching for new facts
and new materials; some studying new appl1ca-
lions ana better uses or facts and materials al
ready known; some OF them are in the dead-house
with scalpel and microscope, not only studying
the position and relations OF every part, from the
obvious bones and muscles TO the smallest leuco-
cyte In health; but also every deviation caused
by morbid action or disease. Some are searching
the neids the forests the earth and the air, both
Tor more knowledge concerning the causes OF dis
ease and for additional remedial agents; some are
IN laboratories with crucibe, testglass and micro
scope, analyzng every morbid product and every
remedial agent, separating the active principles
from the crude materials, and demonstrating their
number are at the bedside OF the sick and wounded
applying the knowledge gained by all other work.
ers to the relief OF human suffering. A more ac-
tive, earnest ceaSeleSS. and benehcent field OF
labor Is not open to your vision in any other drec-
tt0n or occupied by any other profession or class
OF men. And thus has the science OF medicine
become vast aggregation OF observed facts, many
OF them so related to each other as to permit prac
t1cat deductions OF permanent value while nlany
Others remain Isolated through Incompetence OF
Investigations, and therefore liable to prompt,
nasty, or even erroneous conclusions.
EMBAKRAssNENTs OF MODERN SCIENCE.
Indeed the most defective and embarrassing
featurein the science and art OF medicine at this
time, Is the rapid accumulation OF facts furnished
by the vast number OF tnvidual workers. each
pushing Investigations In some special direction
without concert with his fellows, and without any
adequate conception OF the cofncident lines OF OBJ
servatiOn necessary to enable him TO see the true
bearing OF the facts he evolves. Hence he is con-
Stantly m1Staklng mere condolences Tor the rea-
tion or cause and effect and the pages OF our medl
cal literature are being filled with hastily formed
conclusions and rules OF practice from inadequate
data.
This results in part, at least, from the extent
and variety OF the fields OF inquiry and the COM
plexity Of the problems presented for solution For
nowhere else within the realms OF human thought
does the mind encounter problems requiring Tor
ON no dor inn for
number or data than in the study or eliOlogy and
pathology. To determine the appreciable condi-
lions Of the earth, air, and water OF any country
before, during, and alter the invasion OF an ept-
dem1c disease long enough To INCLUDE several con-
secutive visits OF the same, is not possible for
single individual, nor for any number or observers
acting separately or Without concert.
Yet just this compete knowledge Is necessary
to enable US TO separate the conditions that are
merely coincident or accidental from those that
are such constant accompanimentS OF the disease
as TO prove necessary relation between them.
And II Is only by Such persistent coincident syS-
temattc observations or many Individuals, each
having definite part, and the results carefully
compared analy ytcaily and syuthetically at proper
intervals, that the real conditions and laws con-
trolling the prevalence and severity OF epidemicS
and endenatcS can be clearly demonstrated. 1t is
not enough to discover the primary Injection, or
the cont0yium riruBl, whether it be the bacillus
OF cholera, yellow fever. or tuberculosis for
abundant experience has shown that not one OF
these Will extend its rayages in any community
or country unless Ii finds there is soil or pabu-
lum c0ngenial for its support and propagation.
1t is on the development and dlffu sion or knOwl-
edge concerning the local conditions necessary Tor
receiving and propagating the specific Injections
Of disease that nearly all the important sanitary
measures OF modern times have been based. And
IL Is on further development or knowledge in the
same direction, gained by more systematic, con-
tinuOuS and colncident investigation, that We
shall most successfully protect our race from the
pestilences that have hitherto "walked in dark
ness and wasted at MONDAY"
1t was the extensive and erer-eXtendiDg field Of
medical science, the complexity OF the problems
m lIa
responsibility OF applying the resources at COM
mand TO the direct treatment OF disease, that eal
disposed medical men to seek each others COUNSEL
TO form groups Or clubs for comparison or views
and mutuallmpr0vement. The manifest adyan-
tageS OF these soon prompted mo extended social
gatherings, until at the present time large pro-
portion or the more active members OF the prOteS-
sion in every civilized country are participating in
municipal, district, national and international
THE BENEFIT OF INTERCOURSE.
The aggregate benefit derived from all this
active intercourse is beyond easy expression in
words. In the more frequent and familiar COM
parison OF cases and views on all professional sub
tects In the local societies. closer habits OF nberva-
tion and wider range of thought are induced,
while narrow pretudiceS and bigotry give place 10
generous rivalry and personal friendships. In the
larger gatherings the formal preparation or papers
ami reports On a great variety Oh subjects impelS
their authors wider range OF study and greater
mental discipline, While the collision with other
minds in discussion brings all aspects OF the sub
Starting new trains OF thought, and begetting a
broader and stronger mental grasp with purer and
nObler aims In life
think am justified in saying that no other one
influence operative in human society during the
present century has done SO much to develop and
diffuSe medical knowledge to stimulate its pract-
cal and successful application, both in sanitary
measures for preventing disease and In the direct
alienation OF suffering ut the bedside and In uni
flying and enn0bhng the profession itself, as has
been accomplished by the aggregate medical So
ciety organizations OF The world. Yet their capa-
benefits, under proper management, Will have be-
come manifest in the near future. And that may
accomplish the chief object OF this address, must
ask your indulgence while indicate some OF the
more important additional benefits In advancing
medical science and saving human life through
the tnstrumentaity of our medical society organi-
cations, and the methods by which they may be
accomplished.
Every experienced and intelligent practitioner OF
the healing art Is familiar with the TACT that all
acute general diseases are Influenced in their prev
alence and severity by seasons or the year, topO-
graphical and other conditions OF the earth, meue
geological conditions OF the atmosphere and the
social condition and habits or the people them
selves. The most familiar endefn1cS vary annually
in the same localities, while the great epidemcS
limited boundaries OF their habitats only at inter-
vals OF years, and extended their ravages from
country country and receded again to the source
| from which they apparently originated, diner
widely In the different periods OF their prevalence.
But In studying the essential causes OF any one OF
under which such causes operate, ne soon nnds
certain factors, essential Tor the SOut100 OF his
problems wanting.
For instance II he wishes t0identify the date OF
| the nrst attack of epidemic cholera In given
locality and the character OF bowel affections Inn
| noodt ofnlv y,rocodinp the ordinary statistics